Fast Forward
by Iheartyou153
Summary: It's the year 2009 and The gang plus kids are back. Having teenagers is much harder than it seems. Sequel to BLAST FROM THE PAST.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Rent isn't mine. Any mention of Wicked isn't mine. Adam's mine. Dr. Hart is mine. Andrea belongs to me. Coop is mine. And the twins are mine.

A/N: This takes place about 16 years…maybe a little less…after blast from the past. Which, according to my calculations would be in the year 2009. Special thanks goes to Niki for helping me develop my character's personalities and for lending me hers to shape one of the twins' (THE SINGER) personaility.

**CHAPTER ONE**

"Adam, I'm going to need you to talk to me. Nothing is ever going to get accomplished if you don't speak." Adam Davis looked at his latest therapist and snorted. He hadn't been open with any of the others? What was oh so special about this one?

"Um, thanks but no thanks. As you can see, I've done very well not talking about it. I'm an honors student, I play lacrosse, and I am a fantastic singer and guitarist. Life is pretty good for me, so I'm not so sure I need to harp on the past, thanks. I'm totally fine living my peachy life." Adam waved a hand through his sandy hair and smirked. No therapist had ever gotten through to him, this one would be no different.

"Your dad wouldn't have brought you to me if there was nothing wrong. But since we can't sit here silently for the next hour, why don't you tell me about this peachy life of yours?" Adam sighed and agreed. "Who's your best friend?"

"Coop. Well, his name is actually Ryan. But his middle name is Cooper. So we call him Coop, since his first name is my dad's best friend's wife's maiden name that she kind of kept for her career. Coop is like my brother. We do everything together."

"Does he go to Dalton with you?"

"Yeah. We both go to that hellhole of a yuppy prep school. Neither of us are to fond of it, but we have some pretty wild parties and it's a good school with a great lax team, so I can't really complain."

"What about a girlfriend? Do you have one of those?"

"Well sort of." Which was a true enough answer. She couldn't really be called a girlfriend if it was a secret. No matter how much sex they had, she wasn't really his girlfriend since they hadn't told anyone about their relationship. Oh screw it. Just the sex constituted them being boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"What?" Is that how he'd come off? No lady, you are so off your rocker. And you call yourself a therapist. "Oh no, I'm not gay. Not that I'm against gays or anything. Hell, Coop's moms are lesbians! But I'm straight. I have a girlfriend. She's just…our relationship is a secret."

"Oh I see. What's her name?"

"What does it matter?"

"Well, it doesn't. It just makes my notes easier." She smiled warmly, which freaked him out quite a bit. She was taking notes? And she was all smiley and happy about it? What a nutcase! What the hell was his dad thinking when he decided she'd be a good therapist. "So Adam, what do you like to do?"

"Sing, play my guitar. I'm co-captain of the lacrosse team. Party…I love to party. Just hang out with my friends…" Have sex with your girlfriend… "you know all of the typical teenager stuff."

"I see. What does your girlfriend like to do?"

"She's big into drama. She does any type of theatre she can get into. She's always going on and on about her soprano and her belt, but I'm not quite sure what that means, so I usually just smile and tell her how great her singing is. Which it is…beautiful, I mean. She has such a beautiful voice."

"What about your other friends?"

"Well, there's my girlfriend's twin sister. She actually has a pretty voice as well, but she'd rather be an overachiever than use it. My girlfriend is always yelling at her for not using her alto to it's full potential or whatever. But she's all leadership and crap. Vice president of the debate team. President of our junior class. Number one in the class. Coop hates her."

"Why does he hate her?"

"Easy, because she beat him for all the things he wanted. He wanted to be VP of the debate team, but she won. He wanted to be junior class President, but she won that too. He wanted to be number one in the class, but she loaded up on more AP classes than him, giving her a higher GPA and making him go down to second. It's terrible. Our families are best friends, but when we get together it's war between those two. They each are dating people, but if you really want to know what I think, I think they really have it for each other. That's why they hate each other so much. They should be enemies, but they love each other."

"Well you could be right. That does seem to happen a lot."

"Of course I'm right. I am always right. Just like I was right about not needing to come to you. I mean, now that you've talked to me, do you really think I'm someone that needs help? If anything get Coop and Miss Thing in here and make them realize that they want to screw each other's brains out. They need help."

"Well, actually, yes. You do need help. You have a secret girlfriend who you won't tell me the name of, you analyze the relationship of her twin and your best friend. You still must be hurting from—"

"Don't even say it." Adam warned coldly. She had no right to bring that up! He was not still hurting. He had learned to live with the fact that people didn't live forever and that people he loved would die eventually, no matter how much it hurt him. He had to live with it. After all love is only something to soften you up so you're a loser when you get hurt.

"You know talking helps. Are you aware of the Egyptian's belief?"

"The Egyptian's beliefs on what? Believe me, I'm not all that into Egypt. And I honestly don't care which one of their crackpot philosophies you have to relate to me. I stopped caring about philosophy since my uncle Collins died."

"There. You already applied the concept. The theory is: 'To talk about the dead is to make them live again?' Having said that, are you ready to give it a go? Reminisce?"

"Listen, no offense to you Dr. Hart, but I can't talk about it. I don't think you've ever been through what I'm going through, so don't pretend to understand when you don't and never will. Okay?"

"Really, I don't understand? What would you say if I told you that my father died when I was fifteen? He didn't die of AIDS, but he died. And it was super duper hard for me. I cried every day and every night uncontrollably for weeks. It got to the point where I started not doing as well in classes. I was at Spence, which I am sure you know to be a very tough school. My teachers tried to help me, but I wouldn't listen. I had just lost my daddy to cancer. It was hard. But then, at the request of our headmistress, my mom took me to a therapist. He helped me work it out and my grades went up again. Things would never be the same, but they got about as normal as they could be, given the circumstances. I just want to help you like my therapist helped me. Now can you tell me your story?"

Adam sighed. Maybe this woman did know what he was talking about. Maybe she could actually relate to him. "I was born to HIV-positive parents. In fact, most of the people I grew up around were HIV-positive. My dad got it from drugs and with my mom…well it could've been the sex or the drugs, they don't really know. But it was a miracle when I was born HIV-negative. My mom's best friend died from it before I was born. Her name started with an A, hence my name. No one else died though, until I was eleven. That was when Daniels got full-blown AIDS. He picked up an OI and died not too long after. Then not too long after Daniels died, Collins met the same fate. My dad was devastated. Collins had been like a father figure to him, despite them being pretty close in age. We had learned to cope. Then I hit thirteen. After my birthday, both of my parents went to the doctors. I remember they went on a Saturday, exactly two weeks after the twin's Bat Mitzvah. My dad was fine. My mom…her T-Cells were really low. She officially had AIDS. She had held out much longer than anyone could have expected. She had many near death incidents before. When she and my dad got back together, when I was born, when my sister Andrea was born. But it was still terrible. My dad was beside himself, but he stayed strong…for her. For all of us. It got worse and worse. She died in November. November 14. Three days after Andrea's birthday."

"I see Adam. Thanks for telling me this. I feel closer to you now. We have something in common. We both have lost parents at a young age. Now how did you react to your mom's death?"

"I bottled it up. I kept it in for a long time. I wasn't about to cry. Especially when my dad had gone into a deep depression and made himself a hermit. Not when Andrea was crying nonstop and was on Valium or something. I had to be the strong one. I thought that maybe if I were strong, everyone else would be strong as well. I really wanted to pull through. Eventually, I cracked. I cried for days at a time. I thought seriously about killing myself. My dad had started to wake up, remembering he had kids to take care of. He always tells us that we're all he has left of her, and I don't know how I feel about that. And it was around the time of his awakening that I was sent to the first shrink. That didn't end up well. And here I am, almost four years later, in your office. You are shrink number twenty-five."

"Lucky me." She smiled at him freakishly. He was beginning to think that maybe opening up to her had been a mistake. Adam didn't talk about his issues. "I'm glad I'm the one you decided to talk to about this."

"Whatever. I told you because I had to tell you. I felt obligated to tell you. It wasn't because I wanted to tell you. It was because you made me fell like I needed to. Like because you shared your little story with me, I had to share mine with you. And I am ashamed that my mind works that way."

"Well, regardless Adam, I'd call that progress. Now I think you can go."

"Really? My session wasn't supposed to end for another fifteen minutes." He looked surprised.

"Go ahead. Meet up with a friend or something. You did fine for today." She smiled warmly at him, which he took as his cue.

"Bye Dr. Hart. See you same time next week!" Adam Davis got up and ran out. He took at his cell phone and dialed a number. "Hey Coop! Man, I need to talk to you. Meet me at my apartment in fifteen? Done deal man."

* * *

Adam and Ryan "Coop" Pierce-Johnson stood in the large kitchen of the Davis penthouse. They were drinking beers taken out of his dad's case and just watching the view of the city through the panorama windows.

"Adam! You will never believe how The Bitch ruined my life today." Coop took a large swig of his beer and then looked seriously at Adam, who was rolling his eyes. Coop just continued. "So I was on my way to the Young Democrats meeting, right? And I was going to turn in my paper work to run for Vice President and guess who turned in her paper work? The Bitch, that's who!"

Adam rolled his eyes once more. "You know you could use her name."

"No. The Bitch is nameless to me. She will be henceforth known as The Bitch, officially. Anyway, she as the nerve to run against me. As if it isn't enough that she took away the class presidency and debate vice-presidency from me. Stupid tramp! She's going to win. She always wins."

"You forgot the part where she made you second in the class."

"Yes that too. But she always wins elections!"

"And why do you think she wins over you?"

"Because she's blonde and has a nice rack."

"Maybe you love her. I mean you've obviously noticed her boobs. And you seem so offended that she wins over you. Face it Coop: you've got it bad and that is so not good."

"Hey Adam! Try to stop sounding like a fucking girl. There is no way in hell I could ever 'Have it bad' for The Bitch. Sorry no way. I'm just saying that everyone votes for her because she's blonde with blue eyes and nice tits. They reason that just because she's beautiful, she's significant. Though what she signifies and to whom, no one can be certain."

"Okay, and I'm the girl? Low and behold, who's quoting the novel Wicked? You couldn't even be man enough to quote the musical! You had to quote the novel!"

"And who knew I was quoting the novel?"

"Point well taken." Adam took a large gulp of his beer. Soon his dad would be home and he'd have to tell him all about the therapist. Oh joy! "But you know, she is really smart. And creative. She's really nice you know. Hardcore, absolutely, but nice when it comes down to it."

"Maybe you're the one in love with her Adam, not me. Or maybe you're just sucking up to her to get into her sister's pants. We all know you want a ride on that pony. Not that I blame you. They're both gorgeous. But man oh man, The Bitch is…a bitch! No other words to describe her. She's just 110 pounds of complete total bitchiness."

"Who is?" Adam's father, Roger, had just walked in the door, a very annoyed Andrea by his side.

"The Bitch." Coop responded coolly. He looked at Roger, challenging him to ask more questions. Instead Roger focused on the beers.

"You know, I really don't care if you guys are going to drink, but could you please ask me before you take the expensive beers? The ones that cost me lots of money to ship over from Europe?"

"You weren't here." Adam shrugged, looking intently at his father.

"So how'd the therapist go, Adam?" A cruel and unfamiliar layer masked Andrea's usually sweet tone.

"Andrea, be nice and maybe I'll tell you." His dad gave him a stern glance. "Well since everyone wants to know, it went great. I actually like this one. She understands me. Which is more than I can say for the pedophile that Andrea sees."

"Don't talk about Dr. Dan like that! He's amazing!" Andrea seemed to be very defensive over her therapist. "He takes me out for pizza!"

"And this doesn't scream 'PEDOPHILE!' to you? Honestly Andrea. I knew you were thirteen and naïve, but get real. He's a creep show. And I am proud to say that I got out of there before he could get near my pants!"

"Adam Michael!" Roger tried to discipline his son but it was no use. Coop was in hysterics off to the side. "Ryan Cooper! Go home!"

"Um, right Roger…right away!" Coop turned to Adam and gave him a quick thumbs up before walking away.

"Adam, you know that he was a pedophile to you, he probably wouldn't be one to me, right?"

"Um Andrea, haven't you ever hear of a bisexual pedophile?" Adam raised an eyebrow at his younger sister.

"Enough Adam!" Roger glared at his son. "The Cohen's called. They have tickets to Wicked tomorrow night, because Blair and Riley wanted to see the new cast on their opening night. Which is odd since they're going tonight too. But to each her own, I guess. Anyway they invited us and we're going." Adam groaned. Sure he wanted to spend time with the Cohen's, but Wicked? This could only be his girlfriend's doing.

"Yes! I'm going to see Wicked again! You know how long I've waited? Since Aunt Maureen was in it and we went opening night! And that was…let me see…like 5 years ago." Andrea couldn't contain her excitement.

"Five years since my ears have last bled so badly in a theatre. Do I really have to go?" Adam never had been a huge fan of musical theatre. In fact, he claimed that most musicals made his ears bleed. There were a few exceptions, but not many. He actually really like Wicked but felt the need to say that he didn't just because he didn't want to seem like a teenybopper.

"Please Adam, get real. We all know when you think your alone you jam to the original Broadway cast recording. We also know that once you, Coop, and Blair all said you were going to the lower school play and entered the lotto instead. And you all three managed to get tickets." Adam lowered his head. All his sister was saying was true. "I bet it's even a dream of yours to be Fiyero. You try to hide behind that macho rock stuff, but you're just a Broadway lover at heart."

"In case you don't remember, sister dear, I do not act. I sing. I like music. My acting skills will never be as good. You dance, I sing, there's no acting in there. And therefore, I will never be Fiyero."

"That's not to say it isn't a secret ambition of yours!"

"Whatever. I have calc homework anyway. I'm going to go do that. Later dad, later Andy!"

* * *

In his room, Adam started his calculus homework. It was hard; each question grew increasingly more difficult. He didn't know why his school required calculus. It was too hard. In fact to quote Coop it was "hard as a priest at a playground." Disturbing as that analogy was, there really was no better was to describe it. Calculus needed to die. And quickly, please.

"POPULAR/I'LL HELP YOU BE POPULAR!" Only one person in his phonebook had that ring tone: his girlfriend.

"Hey baby." He answered his cell phone and twisted a pencil around in his fingers.

"Hey Ady." Her clear voice chirped through the earpiece. "You're coming to Wicked with us tomorrow! Except, so is Coop. So you may have to keep an eye on him to make sure he and my sister don't murder each other during 'No One Mourns The Wicked.'"

"I can actually see that happening. Coop would be all like, 'No one mourns the wicked so I guess no one would mourn you bitch!'"

"And then she would say, 'Well I'm going to kick the dear old shiz out of you!'"

Adam chuckled into the phone. His girl was just too adorable. "So what's new babe?"

"Nothing much. This calc homework is making me wish I didn't have a brain." She laughed. "But then I look at Wicked. Fiyero never used his brain and then wanted it back the second he didn't have it."

"I'd rather be a scarecrow than do this. What the hell does Pratt think we are? Geniuses? I mean just because we're in AP Calc…it's not like any of us want to be in the class anyway."

"I can think of two: my sister and Coop." She laughed that funny, almost silent laugh of hers.

"Yep. They just said 'How can we drive one another to insanity? Oh, I know! Let's take the exact same AP Calc class so then we can compete for the highest grade!'"

"Or you know, they just wanted to see each other in class. And stare. Since we all know that they are itching to get together. Sadly enough, they are the only two that don't know it."

"But of course."

"Ady, when are we going to tell our parents about us? They need to know."

"I know they do. But we can never find the right time. That is something we need to discuss in person, so we'll try to at some point tomorrow okay?"

"Okay. Adam, my parents are going to some benefit in L.A. this weekend. I'm pretty sure your dad's going too. We should have a sleepover." He could almost see a sexy smirk on her face.

"I think that's a very good idea darling." He sent her smirking vibes right back. Or at least he hoped he did. He couldn't be sure that she got them.

"Crap. My dad is coming to my room and he expects me to be working on the calc." He heard her room open and her dad say something. "Thanks Meg for the help. I'll see you tomorrow in class. Thanks."

"Love you too babe." He clicked his phone shut and hoped no one had heard that conversation.

**A/N: Chapter one of the sequel is up! I rewrote this a few times because I kept wanting to mention which twin was the overachiever and which one was Adam's girlfriend. So far it's a pretty well guarded secret. It should be revealed next chapter, in the Wicked thing, among some other secrets. I'm really excited about this story and I hope you are too! Oh and the whole thing about Maureen being in the OBC of Wicked was totally intentional, and yes, she would've been Elphaba. In this universe, Idina Menzel doesn't exist and is replaced(ish) by Maureen.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I rent.

A/N: Sorry for all the delays. I'm really busy lately. So here you go! Hope you don't get too confused. And once again, thanks goes to Niki for being my amazing beta!

**CHAPTER TWO**

Blair Cohen walked through the entrance of the posh apartment building where she lived, clearly furious. She stormed right past the friendly doorman instead of stopping and chatting in her usual upbeat manner. Today was different. You see, she had just auditioned for a show. Not just any show…a show on Broadway. A new jukebox musical to popular music. And she had totally blown the audition.

She stormed in the door to her posh apartment where her dad sat in the living room. "Blair, sweetie, is something wrong?" He went over to her to give her a hug, but she just stared at him, daring him to do anything and see what would happen.

"Does it look like I'm effing okay dad? I had that audition today and it completely blew." She sniffled and gave her father, the filmmaker Mark Cohen, an angry glare.

"Well remember what your mother and I had told you…"

_"Daddy, have I told you I love you lately?" Blair Cohen had gone up to her father and asked him this question, causing him to shoot her a glare that seemed to ask what drugs she was on. "I can definitely see why mom loves you! You are a very handsome man!"_

_"Okay Blair, what do you want?" He put down the newspaper and stared at her blankly._

_Just then, Blair's mother, Marli Ryan-Cohen, walked in. "Mom, you're looking lovely today. Are those earrings new?"_

_"Blair Hillary, what do you want?" He mother gave her the same blank look her father was still exhibiting._

_"Nothing. I want nothing."_

_"Then what drugs are you on?" More blank stares from her mom._

_"Not heroin. That makes you violent," her father observed. Blair rolled her eyes._

_"I'm not on drugs. I don't want anything. I just realized today how little affection I ever show for you guys."_

_"She wants something." Her father picked his copy of the New York Times back up. "Go on. Tell us what you want."_

_"I don't want anything, I swear!" She smiled slowly. "Well…now that you mention it…"_

_"Blair Hillary Cohen! What is it that you want?" Both her parents stared at her anxiously._

_"To audition for a new show on Broadway." Except it had come out much faster than that._

_"Okay, whatever." Her father then realized he didn't even know what he agreed to. "What, repeat again—and slowly this time—what you want."_

_"I. Want. To. Be. In. A. New. Show. On. Broadway." She made certain she clearly enunciated every word. She was good. There was no way her parents could deny her this opportunity._

_"No. There is no way I'm going to let my sixteen-year-old daughter audition for a Broadway show." Marli looked her daughter straight in the eye and said this._

_"MOTHER! DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS MY ONE AND ONLY CHANCE TO MAKE IT BIG! YOU'RE RUINING MY LIFE!" Blair shouted at her mother before finally sighing and turning to her father. "Daddy? Don't you think I should be allowed to audition?" She gave her dad her sad eyes and her best pout._

_"You know Mar, she's right. I think she should audition."_

_"Mark, do you really think that? Or can you really not say no to her?"_

_"Oh c'mon Marli, she gave me the pout. How can I say no to that face?" He gestured to Blair, who's face was still in the pout._

_"Easy. You say no." Marli was aggravated._

_"Blair, you can audition. Your mother is just in a bad mood, so go into your room before she can override my decision."_

_"Thanks Daddy! I love you I love you I love you! You are the best dad ever!" She gave her dad a kiss on the cheek before turning to her dumbstruck mother and glaring. "As for you, I hate you so much it isn't funny! Well, it actually kind of is…to me! Not to you. I bid you adieu parental units, one that I like, one that I do not."_

"No Daddy, I don't remember you telling me anything." Blair returned from her little flashback and she couldn't remember any advice given to her by her parents at all.

"Yes Blair, think harder. Remember when we told you that you may not get the role and that it would be okay if you didn't?"

Blair traced the moments in her memory and couldn't seem to come up with anything. "No, you really didn't. I totally went through everything in my mind." She started off to her room before turning around. "Oh and not getting the role is totally not okay. Failure is not a plausible option Daddy!" And with that she stormed off to her room to get ready for Wicked.

* * *

Blair's pearl studs were halfway in when her cell phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but she assumed that it was a friend calling from their house phone. "Blair Cohen, what's your favorite color?"

"Miss Cohen? Hi this is Christian Hans, the casting director for GUYS HEART BETSEY. And for the record, my favorite color is green."

"Oh, hi Mr. Hans. I'm, uh, really sorry about that. I thought you were one of my friends."

"No harm done. Listen, your audition was amazing, and we want to call you back. Also, do you know anyone that would be interested in auditioning for one of the two male principal leads?"

Blair knew this was her chance. She could force a certain guy she knew into theatre once and for all. "Yep. Sure do."

"Great, then you and your friend can come in on Sunday at three. Don't be late!" And on that note, the phone call ended.

* * *

The Gershwin Theatre was always more spectacular on an opening night for a new cast. The lights outside seemed to shine brighter. The place seemed to have more energy and wonder. It was always a welcome change from closing cast nights, which were usually sad and mournful. Blair had experienced the change in moods at the theatres every time a new cast came or an old cast left, since the opening of the show. She knew the feeling of euphoria and energy that came along with a new cast and seemed to suddenly slow with an old one. The feelings made her want to pursue the stage even more. Well, maybe if they cast her in GUYS HEART BETSEY…

"C'mon Blair! We're gonna be late for Wickedmania!" Riley called her twin sister over. Despite being twins, the pair couldn't be more different. Blair was the impulsive and laid back twin, always ready for a party or a late night romp with her boyfriend. Riley was tight-assed and driven, with an ambition the size of a small country. Their love of the theatre was the one thing uniting them, and even that was expressed in a different way.

"Right. And it's Wizomania. Duh!" Blair gave her twin a playful glare.

"I know that! I'm not a moron. Well duh I'm not a moron…I'm number one in the class." She looked pleased and made sure Coop could see the look on her face. "I simply changed it so it could fit in with what we're actually seeing."

"You're such a brat Riley. You cheated to get that place in the class. Well, maybe not. But you cheated for practically everything else!" Coop was starting to get defensive. Well, he got that from one of his mothers. And his dad. And don't make fun of his little situation. He'll chew you out for that too.

"How so? I think someone is just a little jealous."

"Um, maybe you cheated by waving you're perky little butt and nicely proportionate boobs. And your blonde hair and blue eyes. Face it, you're like debater Barbie!"

"Save some of that biting wit for your extemp rounds. Maybe if you did, you'd break more often." She looked pleased with herself at the lame little dis. Not to mention both of them broke at nearly every tournament. And Riley, as an interper/orator, had no room to talk. Extemp was actually a hard event, thanks very much. And besides, there was a reason oratory was nicknamed 'boratory'.

"At least I have better things to do with my time than acting out being pregnant while having cancer and talking about society's problem with not learning from their mistakes!" Oh yeah…he went there!

"I have an idea." Adam jumped right into the little fight, hoping to either calm it down or stir it up more. "How 'bout we do some actual debating. Who would win in a fight: Coop or Riley? Duh nuh nuh!"

"Shut up, Adam!" Both of the fighting parties protested, but it was too late.

"I totally have my vote on Coop!" Blair received a glare from her twin, but she just shrugged. "What? It's true! Just look at him. He totally could beat your ass!" This earned her an appreciative glance from the Coop-being.

"That, Blair, is where we disagree. Don't underestimate the power of Riley. See, she already beat coop out for everything he ever wanted. And besides, she seems like she could be freakishly strong, and just one of her boobs could take us all in a fight." Adam earned a glance from a slightly confused Riley, who didn't seem sure whether to take it as a compliment or beat the crap out of Adam for saying that.

"Why the fuck are you making comments about my sister's boobs? Is that a place your eyes often wander to?" Blair narrowed her eyes just a little at Adam.

"Um—I—no, of course not." He managed to stutter out

"Coop, Adam, Barbie-Twins, time to go into the theatre." Roger shouted it over to the older kids before turning to the younger ones. "Andrea, Noah, you guys too."

* * *

Riley loved the atmosphere of the theatre. In fact, she'd love to be a writer or perhaps even an actress. But acting was Blair's thing, and frankly, everyone expected more out of Riley. She was smart. She was meant to go on to Yale or Harvard or some equally prestigious Ivy and get a good degree and marry into a good family. Because that was Riley. Or so it seemed.

Riley, while she loved the power that came with being smart and beautiful, wanted so badly to be something more deep down. She wished she could be the creative twin, instead of the smart one sometimes. Yet, she still loved being the smart bitch. She loved having complete control over everyone around her. She loved power and she loved winning. Especially against Coop. Yet sometimes perfection is the greatest bore of all. Sometimes she just kind of wanted to lose just so she wouldn't be perfect. And sometimes, she just wanted to crack the veneer and do something bad. Which is where Will came in.

Will was a very prominent boy from a very prominent family, who had a knack for doing the bad. It wasn't even bad. It was the bad. He smoked pot and got drunk almost every weekend. His dad was oblivious and his mom was a lush. She gave him the liquor and the pot. He probably had about a thousand STDs and twice that many kids he didn't know about. Well, maybe not. But you get the point. Will was bad. And he was just enough to get Riley the Good a little bit of a beautifully tarnished reputation. She needed him. And he needed her. It was a match made in good-girl-goes-for-the-bad-guy heaven.

"Whoa, Riley, where's your head. You see Will over there? Totally checking you out." Blair snapped Riley out of her trance. When Riley stood up, sure enough Will, all six feet of him, were indeed 'checking her out.' She toss-tossed her hair and gave him playful eyes. Fancy Will at a Broadway show. Especially Wicked! This was good. This was very good. Eye-sex during intermission anyone?

"Fancy that." She gave Will a little wave, which he returned with a nod. She then bounced off to get to her seats. Only six minutes until showtime!

"You're seriously flirting with him?" Coop tried to pass it off as amusement, but he seemed almost jealous that Riley would be flirting with Will the badass.

"Got a problem Ryan?" Riley shot him a face that said she didn't want to be messed with.

"The name is Coop. Where have you been the last nearly seventeen years of your life? No one calls me Ryan. They call me Coop or Cooper. Not Ryan. 'Kay good?"

"Well, Ryan, I'm sure I can try." She made sure she send out an air of hatred. "But I'm so dreadful with nicknames."

"And she's even worse with giving directions." Blair muttered as an after thought under her breath but no one paid too much attention.

"You're so bad with nicknames? Did you not just call dear old William over there Will? Yeah, R. Cohen, that's what I thought." Coop used the one nickname Riley was extremely objective over. She hated it when people called she and Blair "B. Cohen" and "R. Cohen." Hello stupid nicknames?

"How about we take our seats? The show is starting in like fifteen seconds." Adam was always the peacemaker. Blair and Adam sat in the middle with Riley and Coop on either side. This was going to be an interesting night indeed.

* * *

"Oh my God! This new cast is amazing!" Blair was officially in awe. Just judging by the first act, this was one of the best new casts the show had seen in years. "And I totally think I'm in love with Jarred Watson." Jarred was the foxy new Fiyero.

"Yeah guys don't wanna discuss this. See ya!" Coop walked off to go to the bathroom or buy candy. You could never be quite sure with him.

He went almost ignored, especially by Riley who just answered her sister breathlessly. "Who isn't in love with Jarred Watson?"

Adam didn't want to be there, especially with a certain girl discussing her love for a foxy, but more than probably gay actor. "I'm not."

"Well of course not, silly!" Blair tapped his lightly freckled nose. "You're a guy. But you must admit that, if you were gay, you'd totally tap that!"

"I'm not gay though."

"But if you were, you'd hit that tight little ass, completely clad in those tight white pants, singing dancing through life…" maybe Blair was getting just a little carried away. But it was fun.

"I'm not though. And if you start singing Avenue Q, I swear to God…" he held up his fist in some sort of warning. As if he could ever punch a girl!

"Okay fine, we get it. No showtunes." Riley smirked just a little.

"And besides, you really think that if I were gay, I'd go for a pretty-boy dandy like that? Please! I'd be too infatuated with my own good looks to even notice."

"Wait, just a clock-tick. You're already infatuated with your looks," Blair observed. She was nothing if not observant.

"Yeah, so?"

"You just said that you'd be too infatuated with yourself if you were gay." Riley could see where her twin was going. They totally had that telepathic twin thing going on. "Which means you just admitted to being gay!"

"And Riley and I just wanted to let you know that we're very honored you chose to come out to us first. Don't worry about telling your dad, because, I think he already knows."

Adam couldn't believe his ears. He wasn't gay! Why were they doing this to him? "I'M NOT FUCKING GAY!" Too loud, Adam, far too loud.

"Huh?" Roger had come back in from the bathroom to see the whole orchestra staring at his son. The only words he caught were 'Fucking gay.'

"Nothing, Roger. Just playing some mind games with your son." Blair flashed a winning smile with her straight white teeth.

"Um, yeah, okay, just the show starts again in like a minute so no more mind games."

"Uh huh. We promise." Riley's just-as-winning smile has appeared, before both twins turned their eyes to the stage once more.

* * *

"That was amazing!" Blair was breathless. This cast had wowed her extreme amounts. This new Glinda, Haley Stephan, was really amazing. Looks like an aspiring actress has just found a new idol. "Daddy, can we stage door please?"

"Yeah Daddy! Please?" Riley had joined in. Both girls were pouting and making puppy eyes. How could Mark, a man famous for giving his princesses everything they'd ever dreamed of wanting resist?

"Um, I have something better." Mark looked at his daughters locking his blue eyes with their famously cerulean ones.

"Daddy, that's insane! What could be better than stagedooring on a cast's first night?" Blair was daring her father. Whatever surprise he had in store wouldn't be there for long.

"Oh, I don't know. Going backstage and getting Galindafied by Haley Stephan maybe?"

"NO WAY! SHUT UP SHUT UP!" She ran over and gave her dad a kiss on the cheek. Riley went over and did the same. "How'd you manage it this time? Brad again?" Brad Winters was currently Boq and had worked with Mark on movies many times. This connection had gotten the girls backstage with almost every cast, not to mention Maureen being Elphaba in the OBC!

"Yeah. He's coming to get us any minute now." Mark squinted through his glasses a little. "And there he is."

* * *

Going backstage really wasn't all that glorious. Sure, you go to see dressing rooms. Sure, you got to meet the cast. But it wasn't that exciting. It was just there. And Blair had done this tour so many times, it had lost its whimsy until she met the cast. "As you can see, nothing has changed since you were in here last night," Brad concluded. Of course it hadn't. It had only been one night.

"Oh My God! Brad where's that girl? The one who I get to Haley-ify?" Haley Stephan, the new perky and blonde Glinda had just stepped out of her dressing room. As if she knew who Blair was already, she walked up to her and said, "You're Blair, aren't you? Oh yay this is so exciting! I'm going to teach you everything you need to know about being Glinda! Oh I want to put you in the bubble!"

"This isn't fair!" Sam Reagan, the new Elphaba stepped out of her dressing room. "I want a protégé! Anyone here have an alto? Low-range mezzo?" Riley sheepishly raised her hand. As far as she remembered, that was her vocal range. "Good. You are going to be me. Oh, I want to let you go on the little flying machine. You think they'll let us do it Hal?"

"I wish. That'd be so cool though!"

"How come Elphaba and Glinda get all the protégés? I want one too!" There stood the Jarred Watson. All six feet and tanned goodness of him. "You." He pointed to Adam. "Want to be my protégé? Oh, who am I kidding, of course you do! I'm Jarred, everyone." Jarred waved to everyone and went off to shake hands.

"Oh my God, I feel so rude." Haley apparently was reminded that she had never introduced herself and Sam blushed as well. "Hi everyone I'm Haley!" She stepped around the circle of adults and the ones who were not protégés, before finally stopping on one person. "Roger?" Her voice was shaking.

"Haley?" He pulled her into his arms. "Oh Haley, I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too! Jill, Sarah, and I mostly. We miss you so much and cant stop thinking about how we want to get in contact with you. But it's so hard!" She was sobbing now.

"I know. I thought that was you up there tonight, but the last name didn't click."

"Well duh it didn't. I made you're middle name the last name of my stage name. if that made any sense whatsoever."

"It did, Hal, it did."

"Is there something we're all missing here?" Adam couldn't help but cut in. Who was this strange woman and why was his dad misty-eyed over her?

"Oh yeah, right, intros. Haley, this is my son, Adam. And this girl to the left of me is my daughter Andrea." Okay Roger, to the point already. "Adam, Andrea, this is Haley. I guess you should call her Aunt Haley. She's my baby sister."

**A/N: So I liked this chapter, but did you? Tell me tell me! Oh and if any of the debate lingo confused you, just tell me in your review or a message and I'll be sure to try my best to explain it to you. I've been in debate for a year and I still don't get some of it. And sorry if it doesn't make too much sense towards the end...I was a bit rushed.**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I rent.

**CHAPTER THREE**

You wouldn't know that they were brother and sister if you were one of the people who saw them on the street. If you saw them and didn't know any better, you'd say he'd finally found a new love, or that she had gotten a hold of her first big romance as a semi-star. No one knew that she was really his long-lost sister whom he hadn't seen since she was this many. No one would know that before he'd severed complete ties with his family, he had been the cool big brother, secretly flying out for weekends to spend with his baby sister. But that's what it was.

"So you have two kids? Fancy that! My older brother is a daddy!" Haley flipped her hair a little and it sparkled in the sun. "What happened to their mother?" She leaned forward, a little bit of her latte spilling on her cashmere scarf.

"Uh, she died. Like almost four years ago." Roger continued to eat his cookie, trying to avoid the subject as much as possible. Haley didn't seem to let go though.

"Oh, I'm sorry to have brought it up." Except she wasn't really, was she? If she were, she would've stopped there. "So did she have AIDS too?"

"Yeah. She did. Except I'd like to add that I don't have AIDS yet." Shut up, Haley! He doesn't want to talk about it. Or you could just change the subject Roger! "So are you dating anyone?"

"Oh, not really. A date here and there. No big. What makes you think that I am?" She was talking too fast, but he didn't really seem to catch on at that point. He was too engrossed in his cookie.

"Oh because I saw the way you and um…Fiyero looked at each other."

"You mean Jarred? Please, we're actors playing our parts. And for the majority of act one, that part is to be in love."

"No, I mean backstage. When you all decided to have protégés. You guys were staring at each other like you wanted to have sex in the dressing rooms."

"Ha, no. Jarred and I are so not dating!" Still not too convincing. Lucky that cookie he was gnawing was big.

"Uh huh. I'm still not convinced. You've been answering the questions to fast and denying it like Bloomingdale's denies Maureen's maxed out credit cards."

"Whatever. So how was Adam's audition?"

"So how long has the sex in the dressing rooms been going on? Like a week? Or did you know each other before you joined the show?" No, Haley Elizabeth whatever-your-last-name-was, you were not getting away with this.

"We went to college together and have been in an Off-Broadway show together, thanks very much. But we are not fucking in the dressing rooms or dating. Thanks very much. We're friends."

"With benefits?"

"You, big brother, are an asswipe! I'm not dating him!"

"Well, I guess I'll take your word for it. But if I find out you are, you're in big trouble!'

"Okay whatevs, so how was Adam's audition? I hear from a few industry people that he got a callback."

"Yeah. He's auditioning again today. Blair pretty much got the part. They're still making her audition one more time, but it's pretty much hers."

"Oh good! My little protégé is getting her first Broadway role—ever! Oh this is so exciting!"

"Yes, yes it is."

"So tonight's my night off. I'd really like to spend some time with you and Adam and Andrea. If you all don't already have plans."

"Of course we don't. I have to pick up Andrea from her dance class and then take her out for a snack—you're welcome to come for that, though why you would want to is beyond me—and then we can all go out to dinner."

"I so want to come to pick Andrea up! What kind of dance does she do?"

"Today it's ballet."

"Oh is she up on Pointe yet? I remember when I went up on Pointe…"

"Yeah, she's on Pointe. If we leave to pick her up now, maybe you'll be able to see her dance a little."

"Oh yes, let's go!" Haley bounced out of the coffee shop, more perky than ever before. Perhaps it was a bad idea to let her drink coffee.

* * *

"I blew it. I fucking blew it." Adam stormed out of the audition feeling like a total idiot. "I messed up the words to one of the most famous songs in the world. I mean everyone knows it's 'Brown-eyed girl' and not 'Blue-eyed girl.'"

"I happen to think it's sweet." Blair stood on her tippy-toes and ran her fingers through his wavy locks.

"Well of course you do. You're the reason why I screwed it up."

"I guess I kind of am, aren't I?" She grinned that grin that had won the casting agents over when they first saw her.

"Yes, you…you…" Adam never stuttered, but he really couldn't find a bad name to call her. She was just that good.

"Me…me…" she stuttered right back, grinning. "So where's your dad today?"

"Out with Haley, who is seemingly becoming a permanent fixture in our household. She almost always here when she isn't doing something for work."

"Oh that's so cool that you have a real aunt. Real aunts are the best." She sighed wistfully, thinking about her favorite aunt in Boston. "My Aunt Alicia, the one in Boston, is like the coolest person ever. She may be older than my mom, but she sure as hell acts younger."

"Well maybe that's because she still isn't married and still doesn't have kids."

"Way to be nice Davis!"

"I try B. Co." He laughed. She hated certain nicknames, like B. Co and B. Cohen. "Now since my dad isn't home, want to come over?"

"Hm, tempting offer." She let a sultry little half smile play on her lips. Tease him a bit.

"You know you want to." He pulled her in, hands on her slim waist.

"Well, I really do, so I guess I will. We can play Battleship." No sex for Adam? Now Blair, that isn't quite fair.

"Yes, uh, Battleship sounds great." Was Battleship her new code name for making out and maybe more? If so, he really liked it. She could sink his Battleship anytime she so pleased. Hm, Adam, kinky much?

They went up into his room. It was a boy room. Blue walls. Blue sheets on his messy and unmade oak captains bed. Model ships and lax sticks and guitars everywhere. But Blair didn't mind. It was a nice room and it was his.

"So Blair, want to play that game now?"

"Oh Adam, you're still so cute and naïve. You know I didn't bring you up here to play a retarded game of Battleship." Her voice was suddenly deeper, sexier.

"You didn't?" Adam, didn't you just say that? Get with the program!

"Of course not. I brought you up here to talk about your audition." Tease a little more. Can't hurt, can it?

"I sucked. I won't be in the show. Sorry to let you down Bear."

"You did fine."

"How come you're such a control freak, but you're so laid back about this?" Blair was sitting on that messy and unmade bed at that point.

"Well, deep down, I'm laid back about everything. And I literally mean everything." She lay down on his bed, giving him the cue that it was make out and maybe more time.

"That was really, really cheesy."

"Well so much for the movie moment." She got up and pushed him against a wall, kissing him furiously. Making out against a wall, how's that for something new?

X

Roger walked into his apartment, Haley and Andrea in tow. Andrea's Pointe shoes were slung over her shoulder and her hair was still in its tight dance bun. Haley couldn't stop fussing over the tall thirteen-year old. Apparently they were exactly like each other. Haley, didn't you say that about Blair like two seconds ago?

"Adam, I'm home! Come out or else you won't be coming to dinner tonight and Haley really wants you to!" Roger shouted across the apartment.

"Uh, Dad?" Andrea piped up in her sweet little voice. "Adam's room is soundproofed."

"Oh, yeah, right. I so knew that."

"No you didn't." It was pretty creepy that Andrea and Haley could speak in unison.

He went over the intercom and spoke into the line that went right into his son's room.

X

Meanwhile in Adam's room…

"Adam, come here this instant or else you can't come to dinner with us." Roger's voice came through the intercom. But the noise was muffled by all the noise Blair and Adam were making. True, they weren't doing more than fooling around, but still it generated quite a bit of steam and sound.

Blair was in front of Adam and they were still in the same compromising position as before. He flipped it over, but it seemed that they hit a very important button in the process.

X

Meanwhile in the foyer…

Andrea had gone to her room to change out of her prissy pink leotard. Roger was still waiting for Adam to come out when the muffled sound of the intercom came over. All he could here were moans and groans. He was torn between "That's my boy," and "What a fucking idiot! He better be using protection."

"Oh My God! My son is a sex addict!"

"I find this very entertaining." Haley was laughing for some odd reason. What kind of a sick aunt got entertained from what was evidently her nephew getting lucky?

"I don't! I'm going in!"

"You can't do that! Then he'll hate you because he didn't get to finish or something." Once again Haley, props for being the cool aunt, but come on!

"Whatever. He needs to get off. And I need to have a talk with him. Girls are like Space Mountain. Take special trips to ride them since you can't do it in your dad's house." Roger looked like a vein was about to pop in his forehead.

He walked to Adam's room and opened the door. Okay, so there wasn't any sex going on yet. It was just a shirtless Adam and some blonde in a black bra and short plaid skirt. It was only when they turned around her got a glimpse of their faces. There stood a very familiar girl…Blair Cohen!

Adam seemed to take notice. "Oh, um, hi Dad. This isn't what you think."

"It isn't what I think, huh? So explain to me why you were getting it on with a girl I consider to be my niece? I'm sure that wasn't at all what it looked like." Roger's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Okay so maybe it is what it looks like, but you have to understand dad…"

"Uh, maybe I should go…" Blair picked up her black sweater and hastily threw it over her head.

"Yes, Blair that's a good idea. And don't expect me not to tell your parents." Roger moved out of the doorway enough to let Blair out.

"Adam, call me later, okay?" Blair turned just a bit.

"Yeah, of course." Adam gave her a pleading look and she finally turned around and left.

"Now Adam, we need to have a little talk…"

* * *

Later that night and Haley had gone home. Adam had run off to Coop's after the incident. Andrea was at a sleepover. It left Roger alone in the apartment, playing his guitar, trying to write songs for his new album. Well he was…until the doorbell rang.

"I'm coming!" He shouted across the apartment, wondering who could be there at the door. He opened it and saw someone he never thought he'd see ever again. "Benny?"

"Hey man! Long time, no see huh?" Benny pulled his old semi-friend into a very awkward hug.

"Uh, I guess you could say that." Roger ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. "So what brings you here?"

"Well, we moved back. Alison decided it was much better for our son here than in Florida about two years ago. We finally got around to moving here about six months ago. I decided it was about time I come visit you."

"Wait a sec. You have a kid?"

"Yeah. He's about six months younger than Adam."

"And you never told me?"

"Well, I never got around to it. It wasn't important. But yes, I have a kid. William Addison Coffin. I couldn't bear to name him after myself."

"Oh I see. Where does he go to school and what grade is he in?"

"He's a junior at Dalton, like I'm guessing Adam is, judging by his age and that shirt you're wearing." Roger looked down and saw he was wearing a 'Dalton Lacrosse Parent' shirt.

"Would you like to come in, Benny? Have a drink?" Roger realized he was being terribly rude and, even though he hated the guy's guts, he had a feeling now they could relate.

"Sure I'd love to. Scotch on the rocks with a twist." Benny took a seat on the plush suede couch.

"Coming right up. So tell me more about your son?"

"Will is the perfect child. Or was. I found him drunk and smoking a blunt today. I was so alarmed. He doesn't do things like this."

"That's terrible—"

"I'm not done. He wasn't drunk and smoking alone. He wasn't doing it with friends. He was drunk and smoking with Alison."

"Oh wow. I walked in on Adam almost having sex with Blair Cohen."

"As in Mark's daughter? Nice. Really nice." He was laughing.

"Roger?" A voice called from the doorway. Roger didn't need to ask who it was. Speak of the devil and he appears.

"Come on in Mark. Benny and I are just sitting here having a drink and talking about our kids."

"Oh hey Benny. I haven't seen you in a while. What's new? You apparently have a kid."

"Yeah, Will. He's a junior at Dalton and is apparently a stoner who gets high with his mother."

Mark looked at him and shrugged, pouring himself a scotch from Roger's bottle. "Well my daughter is apparently a slut."

"And my son is apparently the reason why your daughter is a slut."

"Hey Roger? I hate to interrupt this little 'I hate my kids' party, but I need to ask a question." Roger turned to look at Benny. "Where's Mimi?"

Mark looked at Roger sympathetically. Roger spoke. "She died. Four years ago."

"Oh man." Benny put his head in his hands briefly before looking up. "I'm so sorry man. So sorry. She was an amazing woman. You all must still be devastated."

"We've been living. Adam and Andrea, my—our—daughter, are still having a really hard time coping."

"I'm so sorry Roger. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's okay. There's no way you could've known."

"I wish I would've been here." Benny looked at his watch. "Listen, it's been great chatting, but I gotta go. We have to do this again sometime."

"Yeah, let's." Mark smiled at Benny before turning to Roger. "So what are we going to do about our kids?"

"Honestly, they're going to do it no matter what we say. We can't tell them not to be together. The most we can do is give them condoms and tell them not to do it in our houses."

"Comforting thought."

"Yeah, I know." They grinned oddly and laughed. It was an old friends thing, you couldn't understand.

**A/N: This was a difficult chapter, but I really like it. How about you? Let me know.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I rent.**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Adam was one of those guys. You know the ones. They don't think they're hot shit, they know they're hot shit. They don't think they're gorgeous, they know they're gorgeous. So as he sat they're, tousling his hair and popping the collar of his white school uniform shirt, he was certain that most of the girls in the hall were staring at him, looks of admiration and wanting on their face. Just like his daddy, Adam Davis was a certified sex symbol.

The thing was, he kind of wanted it to end. Well, not really. He actually liked the attention a lot. But at the moment, there was only one person he wanted to stare at him. That one person was none other than Blair Hillary Cohen, the girl whom he was convinced was the most gorgeous girl in the world. The girl that was also, incidentally, staring at him, though without admiration—not completely without wanting. She actually looked kind of mad.

"Where the fuck have you been Adam? I tried calling you all weekend and you are apparently avoiding me." Blair swished her flaxen hair and stared at him, allowing her eyes like tropical pools well with tears. Either she was a very good actress or was very upset with him. Maybe it was both.

"I have not been avoiding you. My dad took away my phone after the incident. You know, when it looks like your son is about to get jiggy with your best friend's daughter, I guess it looks kind of bad. He gave it back to me today though so he can keep me on a leash all day." As if on cue, his cell phone rang to the tune of 'Bittersweet Symphony' by The Verve. He took out the thin black phone and flipped it open. "Adam Davis. Uh huh. You're kidding right? Oh god! Thank you! Yep, see you then. Bye!"

"Who was that? Was it the casting people at GUYS HEART BETSEY? Are you going to be in the show with me? Are you?" It was at this point that Blair realized his girlfriend was definitely a polar bear. She went from being an ice queen to perky blonde in about two seconds flat. Note to Adam: mention this to Dr. Hart.

"Yes. To all questions." Adam smiled cutely and Blair just squealed and kissed him deeply. "Uh, Blair, you realize no one at school knows that we're dating yet. Well, aside from Riley."

"Oh um, right. Well, it's bound to come out in the open anyway."

"Yeah, I guess so. So, we're going out to dinner with pour dads to discuss this tonight?"

"Yeah. They thought it'd be less awkward to leave my mom out of it. Mostly because your mom is dead and everything, but yeah."

"Also because your mom can't accept that her little girl is a little bit of…"

"A slut? Yeah, well dad's having a hard time with that too. Yet, he does not care as much about my slut-dom as my mom does. She's coping. Not in a healthy way, but coping nonetheless."

He looked at her, clearly confused. "Huh?"

"Like today I was in my bathroom. I had an itch in my throat and had to cough. Apparently, she heard and came running in." Blair snapped into her impersonation of Marli. "'Blair, are you throwing up? Blair, are you pregnant? Please don't tell me you're pregnant. You are, aren't you? All that fooling around with that silly boy got you pregnant.'" She snapped out of impersonation mode. "It's hell."

"You aren't pregnant are you?"

"No silly. I don't plan on that one happening. We are careful and we are not going to wind up in that situation. And if I was, mark my words, I'd do a better job of covering it up than throwing up in the bathroom where my mother would be suspiciously lurking trying to get a glimpse of it."

"Okay, good." Adam heard a bell ring and grabbed Blair's arm. "Let's go to calculus, darling." And for once, they were both glad to be going to the wretched class.

* * *

As Pratt taught—or rather, droned—on and on about limits, Coop used the time to think about just how much he hated Riley Cohen. She stole his positions in everything. The only type of position she should be allowed to steal from him is a sexual position. No Coop, you will not think about having sex with Riley Cohen. Not only is she the devil in disguise, she is also off limits. Well, then again, Adam is doing a little something with Blair.

Coop told himself that these thoughts couldn't enter his mind, but the more he said it the less he believed it. She was hot. He was hot. She was smart. He was smart. But they had a sworn rivalry. The rivalry that formed the summer he spent in London while his mother was reprising her role of Elphaba in the production of Wicked on the West End. Well, one of his mothers anyway. The other stayed in New York with his brother Porter. But that isn't the point. Before he went to London, he and Riley were kind of like partners-in-crime. When he came back, she decided instead of combining their brains, it would be better if she just took hers and left their perfect little partnership. That bitch.

"Mr. Pierce-Johnson, can you tell us the answer?" Pratt stuck Coop out of his trance. Behind him, Riley looked as though she was about to burst from not getting to give the answer. It was actually kind of entertaining.

"Sure thing. The limit is—"

"Non-existent." Riley couldn't let him answer the fucking problem. She had to just take over and make it all about her. That's all it ever was. The Riley Cohen Is So Smart And Can't Let Anyone Else Be Show. Airing every day, live from Dalton.

"Well, Miss Cohen, you are correct. But that wasn't your question to answer."

"Oh, but I sure Ryan here wouldn't have gotten it correct anyway, Mr. Pratt. He isn't that smart, you see." Riley said these things as if they were the most obvious things in the world. Not smart? Puh-lese.

"First off, R. Co, my name isn't Ryan. Well I guess it technically is Ryan, but no one calls me that. You can call me Coop or Cooper if you must call me anything. Second of all, I am smart, so get off your high horse and maybe take out the stick that seems to be perpetually shoved up your ass."

"Oh that's it Ryan. It's on."

"Oh really And do you really think being pretty will help you win this one?"

"What do you mean?" Riley's face was red and it seemed like smoke would appear magically out of her ears, like on a cartoon. If he were feeling like normal Coop, he'd probably stop and be the gentleman. But now, he couldn't. He was compelled to keep going.

"I mean you use your looks to win everything. I'm a good-looking guy, but that doesn't do anything for me as far as winning goes. Pretty girls appeal to both sexes, while hot boys only appeal to girls. Your whole existence is a lie."

At this point Riley was crying and the whole class, including Mr. Pratt was watching. He just looked at the pair and said, "Get together already." The whole class, especially Blair and Adam was on the floor. The all knew it to be true.

Yet, in an instant Riley's face lit up. "Oh no, Mr. Pratt. I certainly don't like Ryan. Ew. I'm dating Will back there." She got up and walked over to Sir Stoner himself and kissed him passionately. "Isn't that right William?"

"Uh, yeah." Will looked at her, with bloodshot eyes. Well, to be fair, he wasn't actually looking at her, he was looking at her sizeable breasts. And Coop noticed, knowing he shouldn't care but did anyway. "Of course we are. Riley's hot!"

She smiled blindingly. "See you later." She winked at him once more and sat down at her seat. "Well, Ryan looks like I'm not the loser. After all, I can get someone who actually wants to date me."

Coop knew he should just bite back but couldn't. He decided it was best to keep his mouth shut at the moment. He needed to come up with a plan to keep Riley from Will. Not because he liked her or anything. God no. The whole sex thing was a just a joke in his head. But Riley Cohen was like a sister to him. An annoying and bitchy sister, but a sister nonetheless. And he had to keep her away from the bad guy. At all costs.

* * *

They say that for every awkward silence, a gay baby is born. If that were true, this dinner had generated enough gay babies to fill Elton John's closet. Honestly, the whole dinner had consisted of two words and then lots of pauses. And Mark sensed some hand play going on between Blair and Adam, but he really didn't want to say anything. Which is how he supposed this whole awkward silence thing began. And why soon, there would be many little Elton John's running around in outrageously feathered costumes singing. It made Blair want to not eat her food when it finally came.

"So, um, we're supposed to talk aren't we?" Mark was surprised to hear Roger breaking the chain of gay babies. He was also surprised to hear his friend so uncertain, as if he didn't really want to know anything about to be said, but felt he had to at the same time.

"Guess so." Adam downed his glass of Coke, wishing it were something stronger like a vodka tonic or 7&7.

"So um, how did you guys get together?" When Roger asked this, Blair and Adam exchanged looks. They knew the real story…

"Adam," Blair walked through the crowd at one of Lila Parson's parties late in July. "You look very handsome tonight. Do you think I look beautiful, because I think you look very handsome." She was slurring her normally perfect speech. It was obvious that she was very, very drunk.

_Lucky for her so was he. "Yes Blair. I think you look very buuuu-ti-fuulll. I fucking love you B. Co. Why do you have to be so gorgeous?"_

_"I fucking love you too A. Dav." And it was at that point she started to kiss him. The kissing later led to them having random se—watching Harry Potter—in Lila Parson's parent's bed. _

_When they woke up the next morning, they pretended like nothing happened. It's be the last time they ever kissed or had sex or anything. Except they couldn't forget. The drunk hook-ups turned into so much more. And that was how they got to this point._

"I asked her out." Adam pinched Blair hand under the table so that she would know to go along with it.

"Yeah. At Lila Parson's birthday party." No need to add any of the gruesome details was there? It would be fine for him only to know this.

"I thought that it was a sleepover." Mark noted, eyes narrowing. "An _all-girl_ sleepover."

"It was. But there was an actual party before the sleepover you know. And that was co-ed. Duh. When you're turning sixteen, the party the night before your sweet sixteen is always co-ed. You just wouldn't know that because Riley and I had a Bat Mitzvah and you were too cheap to give us both. Which I find stupid because I had to share my Bat Mitzvah with her and she wouldn't go along with the Broadway theme. She's so stupid sometimes…"

"Back on topic, Blair." Adam flashed his famous grin at her.

"Right. So you see, I realize it's been like, a millennium since you went to a sweet sixteen, but that's the way it is now, thanks very much." She downed a gulp of the "sprite" she was drinking. Her father didn't need to know she had tipped the waiter enough to bring her Ketel One and tonics (no one would dare card her) in lieu of Sprite. He also wouldn't know that she had vodka, since she could hold her liquor and he hopefully wouldn't find that out.

"I see." Roger seemed suspicious, but Mark had eaten it all up and seemed oblivious to his friend's suspicious. "I guess in this case, you may have our blessing. But Adam, even though you're my son, I will personally have to kick your ass if you do anything to hurt Blair. For one, she's practically my daughter, as disgusting as that makes your relationship sound. Second, Mark here is my best friend and let's face it: he couldn't beat the crap out of you even if he wanted to. Noah has a better chance of beating you up—sorry, Mark, it's true—and I'm sure he will if you do anything to his sister."

Adam smiled. "You know, I don't plan on ever hurting her, but it'd be nice if you threatened to kick her ass if she hurt me. Nice to know that you love me, your son. Thanks Dad. Love you too."

"Anytime kiddo."

"I can't believe you don't think I could beat Adam up…" This was a major blow to Mark's ego. "I could. I totally could."

"Okay Daddy. Keep thinking that. If you tell it to yourself enough times, maybe it'll come true."

"Blair Hillary! If you keep it up, I may have to evoke my blessing. Then you won't be able to date Adam."

"Daddy, I just love how you think that'll stop us. We managed to keep it secret for quite a while, so what makes you think we wouldn't do it again." There. She was satisfied that it would shut him up. Finally, the food arrived at the table. Suddenly, she was ravenous.

**A/N: Whoo! Update! I know this took forever, but it is summer break now, so updates should be much more frequent. I'm determined to finish this story before I go off to debate camp because I definitely don't want to leave you all hanging for two weeks straight. Especially since at that point, all the good parts of the plot will be happening. So anyway, I liked this. What do you think? I refuse to update quickly as promised if I don't get reviews. This is on principal. And I am so sorry this was so short.**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I haven't updated in a while because until the 16th, I had fallen out of love with Rent. I saw it live last night though (Jed and Bryce own my world) and decided an update was in order, with Niki's help. So without further ado, the very long awaited chapter five.

Disclaimer: I rent. Even some of the lines aren't mine.

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Curtain call music boomed in the background as the stars ran on stage. Not together of course, in a ritualized and painstakingly patterned order. Blair and Adam ran out together as their characters ended up together at the end. Her blonde hair was near transparent under the bright lights of the stage. She couldn't see the audience. It was all fog and noise, fog and noise. Applause and cheers, fog and noise. This was nothing like she had imagined. She had expected to see the audience, looking at her with disdain, boos booming from the barely there crowd. But not seeing their faces and hearing them cheer, for her and the rest of the cast, made it all worthwhile. After all, no matter how good you are and how much you enjoy what you do, it is the audience that makes it worth all the effort.

x

Down in the audience, the cheers continued as the cast took their final bow. Inside Coops head, he was cheering for a different reason. There was a really hot girl sitting next to him. Like hotter than Riley who was sitting a few seats away with Sir Stoner on her noble arm. Looks like he was about to have himself a girl. That is, if she would ever think about talking to him.

He was walking out of the theatre, getting ready to go to the after party, when a Guys Heart Betsey playbill fluttered gracefully by his feet. The hot blonde who has sat next to him was rushing toward it. Well, if the hot chick was coming to the playbill, then why shouldn't he just pick it up? It would save her some effort on her pretty little self after all. He bent down and picked it up, just as she had her hand on it. First, their hands touched, then their eyes met. His heart did a whiz-bang, flip-flop, heaven for a minute.

"I'm so sorry about that!" She smiled at him; just letting her navy eyes linger with his bottle green ones. Her blonde hair was so yellow, curling gently over her halter-top-perfect shoulders. "Thanks," she giggled and held out her hand, "I'm Annalie, by the way. Princess Annalie. Of Sweden."

A princess as in the heir to a throne in some country where everyone was blonde? He could get used to this! "I'm Ryan," and apparently he was going back to that name, "Ryan Cooper Pierce-Johnson. Of New York City, naturally. It's a pleasure to meet you Your Highness."

"Oh and it's nice to meet you Ryan." She smiled at him and he grinned like a dope. The only way to make him like his name was to have a hot Swedish princess say it. "I presume I'll see you at the party?"

"Oh you bet!" Stupid move Coop. Who the hell says that anymore? And to a princess!

"See you there." And with a wink, his Swedish majesty was off. Thank heaven for the Swedish Royal Line.

* * *

"Let's ditch this place," Adam whispered into Blair's ear at the after party. She giggled at the feeling of his hot, moist breath on her ear.

"You're absolutely insane! We can't leave! We still have to stay. We are the stars of the show." It was absurd, he was absurd. Stupid boy, why must you be so adorable?

"Please Blair, you really think all these stuffy old guys will notice? The theatre's just across the street. We leave for a couple of hours and hang out in your dressing room on in the orchestra pit or something. Then we come back here and it'll be like we were never gone."

The boy may be insane, but his point was more than valid. They could disappear and have another late night chat, like they used to back in the good ole' days. They'd return and no one would notice. The photographers were eating and could realize they were no where to be found. "Okay. Let's do it!"

He grabbed her hand and they ran off, across the street to the theatre. They pried open the doors. The theatre was dark except for the one customary light. They went into the orchestra pit and sat down. It was all so youthful, something so perfect and carefree it couldn't be a reality. But it was. It was all a whirl of passion and fun and living life while they could. The pit was quiet and every word they said to each other echoed all over, yet they couldn't care. No one else was there to here the things they said to one another.

The conversation was random and not seeming to go anywhere besides a deep conversation you have with your best friend. Then the tone changed. "Blair, I can tell you anything right? And you won't think I'm insane?"

She giggled softly, her perfect teeth forming a perfect and even smile. "Of course. Why? What's the matter?

He shook his head. "Nothing is the matter. It's just…" he tried to find the words to say it so it wouldn't be a cliché, but they didn't seem to exist. "Blair, I…I love you." There, he said it. Now he had to be prepared for the consequences.

Yet, they didn't come. She just smiled like a dope, while kind of crying at the same time. "Adam, I love you too."

He reached for her face and kissed her, lightly at first and slowly growing more fierce and passionate. They lay down and slowly the rest of the world faded into utter blackness and it disappeared all together.

**A/N: YAY! FINALLY! Update tomorrow for sure cause I have no hw. Later homies! Review please and thank you! Sorry it's so short. This seemed like the right way to end it.**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I rent.

**Chapter Six**

It had been far too long since they had all gotten together for a night out without the kids in tow. Far too long since they had been here, the place where the magic truly started. Far too long since the days of being alive and young and forgetting about the world for a while. Far too long since they had been invincible. And in the end, isn't that all what we want? To be young and carefree? Why yes, it had been far, far too long since they had stepped through that threshold.

"The Life Café. Sure brings back memories, doesn't it?" Mark walked through the doorway, crisp air flapping on his face. The place hadn't changed one bit. It looked exactly the same as it always had so long ago.

"Really." Roger looked on the verge of tears and it was obvious he was thinking about Mimi. That's why they hadn't been here in so long. Collins, they dealt with and still returned. But after Mimi died, the place had become taboo; just another way to bring back amazing memories with someone he would never be able to make more with.

"Roger...I'm sorry…maybe we should just leave. This was a bad idea. You're not ready to be back here yet…"

"Yes, I am. I have to be." He had a determined look on his face, which was slowly turning red from the strain of trying. "Remember when Andrea was born? And we came here to celebrate?" He reminisced as the two best friends sat down at a table.

"Yeah. She was really little, I remember. Born eight weeks early, but you were so thrilled she was alive and relatively healthy, so you came and got the girls and I. Marli wouldn't leave because she was pregnant with Noah."

"Yeah. And I had only seen her in her incubator going to the NICU, but I was so excited that we had a girl and she was perfect and healthy." He laughed. "And Mimi was in bad shape…but I knew shed pull through so we all went for dinner. And Adam was really scared because she was in the hospital and Blair told him to grow up."

"Blair…she was always a little bitch wasn't she? It's no wonder she's a slut now." He laughed. "Remember when she was six and started with the met children's opera and we came here?"

"And she took away all of our liquor because it was 'bad for your voice?'"

"RIGHT! And the time we came here the day before Blair and Riley's Bat Mitzvah?" Mark then realized what he had said. Two weeks after that, Mimi got sick and died not long after that.

Roger looked down at his hands, looking as though a tear threatened to run down his cheek. He couldn't cry. "Yeah," he said solemnly, "I remember that." Alas, the floodgates burst and the usually tough rocker was bawling. "She was so healthy and so alive. What went wrong? Why her? The kids needed her. Why not me? I'm surely not a good father. My son thinks of me as his friend and he goes around sleeping with your daughter because that's what the mood strikes him. My daughter just shuts herself out from the rest of the world and puts everything into her dance and school and friends. And there's nothing I can do about it because she's not here, Mark! She's not here!" He took a deep breath. "My life is simply out of control and I can't help it. My kids are out of control…especially Adam. I'm so worried about Adam. I tried not to screw him up, Mark. I really did. But somehow he didn't turn out like I wanted him to. It's all wrong. I promised Mimi before she died I wouldn't do anything. But I've done it. I've messed them both up. And soon I'll be dead and they'll be orphans."

"What do you mean soon you'll be dead? Are you—has it—do you—?"

"No. Nothing like that. I'm just being real. Do you have any idea how long I've lived with this? Just because I've made it this long doesn't mean I'll continue to make it. Face it, eventually the virus will take hold and I will die."

"Roger…don't say that. You aren't going to die just yet. Andrea and Adam need you and they can't turn out to be normal with a father who talks like that."

"Mark, remember right after Adam was born? Mimi and I took you and Marli out to a really fancy restaurant?"

"Yeah, of course. Right after we were on Letterman."

"Right. And we asked you that, if Adam—and Andrea now—were ever orphaned, you'd take care of them? You still mean that right?"

"Of course I do. It's mapped out in papers if you recall. Adam is a great kid, just keep him from getting my daughter pregnant and we're cool. Andrea is so sweet. She just is shy and nervous about getting hurt."

"So they're not as bad as I think they are? Because to me, Adam is going to end up like me. He is me. Remember? I was like that. And I got into drugs. And sex. And disease. And I eventually fell in love. But she died and now I'm left with two kids I can't screw up because I can't let her down Mark." He took a deep breath. "I've never told anyone this, but she's always with me. When I lay in bed at night, she's next to me. When I walked in on Adam and Blair, she was breathing down my neck, telling me what to say. She's there. She's with me every minute of every day. She tells me what to do. I can't think for myself. I'm trying to do what she would want and she's there to guide me. You don't think I'm crazy, do you?"

"No. You're coping with grief that you never had the chance to. Well, actually you did. You had a lot of chances while you were ignoring your kids and while you were ignoring life. But you snapped out of it before it got out. She's letting you know it's okay Rog. It's okay to let go. She wants you to move on. She doesn't want you to hurt like this. Life is short and life is strange, there's no reason not to move on. Enjoy your life. It's what she'd want."

Roger didn't actually think that's what Mimi would want. She'd want him to mope and neglect until the day he died. But he took the words with consideration and yelled "Waiter!" His stomach was suddenly contracting, looking for food and he was pretty sure Mimi would want him to have a veggie burger.

* * *

There were three quick raps on Maureen's door. No one else was home. Coop was out at Annalie Von Ditzinator's (or whatever he name was) house. Joanne had a huge meeting in Chicago. This left her here, on a cold December morning. Alone. "Coming," she shouted to the general area o the door. Whoever it was obviously needed her or else they wouldn't have trumped all the way in the snow to talk to her.

She had expected to see maybe a friend. Instead she saw the blonde silhouette of Blair Hillary Cohen. She was small and frail looking, like a ghost. And she was shivering. She was shivering badly. "Blair, what are you doing here? Your parents must be worried sick!"

"Oh no," Blair chattered out, "they know I'm here."

"Sweetie, Coop is out with Annalie the Ditz."

"Puh-lease, why would I be here for Coop? I've been wanted to pull his hair out ever since he started dating her. She basically ruined my whole perception of him as a generally smart guy. No. I'm here to speak to you." She took off her coat and stepped in without permission. Not that Maureen minded. Blair was like a daughter to her.

"Oh. What do you need then?" She took Blair's sopping wet coat from her and hung it up gingerly in the closet. What on Earth could Blair possibly want to tell her about?

"You know how you're always telling Riley and I if we ever need to talk then we can come to you?" Maureen nodded, still not fully understanding. What in God's name would Blair want to talk to her about? "Well now is that time. Um, can I trust you not to tell my parents?"

"Of course. You can trust me with anything." She was still perplexed, but continued, "I promise."

"Okay. So remember opening night at GUYS HEART BETSEY? And Adam and I disappeared for a while?"

"Yeah…did you guys sneak off and have sex? Please dear, if that's what you were so worried about, you're crazy. Of course I wouldn't tell your parents that!"

"Well yeah…but I'm not done."

"Okay, go on."

"Right so we snuck off and had sex in the orchestra pit…"

"SEXY! That's like always been a dream of mine!"

"Maureen, can you just let me finish?" Maureen nodded and she continued. "I really trusted him to, you know, take care of everything. Usually he does. Except I'm not so sure he did."

"Are you trying to say what I think you're trying to say?"

"Well, it depends on what you think I'm trying to say. You see, that's all relative. If I said yes and you thought that I like got raped or something, it'd mean something totally different."

"Well what I think you're trying to say is that you think you might be pregnant and you don't know where to go or what to say or what to do so you came to talk to me because you think I won't tell your parents, in particular your dad, because they'd disown you. Correct?"

"Uh…yeah. I guess you could kind of sort of say that." She bit her nails. She didn't know where else to turn.

"First I'm going to tell you, never trust a drunk guy on an ego trip with birth control. That's just never going to work. Next, I'm going ask you…just how late are you?"

"6 weeks. At first I thought it was just stress from the show and all the dancing and stuff, but then I started throwing up a few days ago. I'm so nauseous all the time and I have no idea what's going on. And I really need to find out, but I can't risk anyone seeing me buying the test."

"Lucky you have me kiddo. Don't freak out just yet. Stress makes you miss periods and throw up. I'll go buy you the test. Just sit here and don't move a muscle."

It felt like hours Maureen was gone. Blair sat in the chair, totally unable to move. What if she was pregnant? What would she do? Would she accept the consequences and have it? Would she just do what she wanted and have an abortion? How would Adam handle it? What would he want to do? Would she even tell him in the first place? The questions kept spinning and spinning in her head, over and over like clothes in a dryer. She kept trying to tell herself, she might not be pregnant. She could find out she was perfectly not pregnant. But somehow the questions kept appearing.

The baby would probably be sandy-haired and tan with lightly sprinkled freckles. Either his khaki green eyes or her cerulean ones. Large dimple's in the middle of its cheeks, quite like his. Dazzling smile, definitely. Gorgeous without a doubt. But if she had it, it wouldn't matter if it was gorgeous. She could never love it because she didn't want it.

"Blair, I'm back!" Maureen walked in and shoved a paper bag in Blair's hand. "You look like death. Are you okay?"

"What do you think?"

"Sweetie, just go take the test. Everything is going to be fine. Don't worry. It's probably nothing..." Maureen knew it probably was something but there was no need to freak her out. Stay calm. Resist the urge to drink anything containing alcohol.

"Okay." Blair sounded so unsure. She went into the bathroom and did her thing anyway, leaving Maureen waiting outside. Soon she walked out. "Okay. No turning back now. Five minutes." She breathed heavily.

"Oh your first pregnancy scare! This is so exciting!" Maureen squealed.

"Oh really? I seemed to miss the memo that possibly being pregnant with an unwanted child is exciting. My bad."

"You just get an abortion. It's no big. When I dated your dad I must have had about six. No biggie."

"Seriously Maureen, TMI. I didn't need to know how many times my dad got you pregnant. Seriously, don't want to think about that tiny bit of information." All of the sudden a buzzer went off. It was the timer.

"Go look, Blair. I promise it won't bite."

Blair went to the countertop and picked up the test, not looking at it. She wasn't really ready to see the results. Her life could change. She took a deep breath and looked down.

* * *

Coop sat with Annalie at Serendipity, sharing a ice cream sundae, even though it was the dead of winter. He really wanted to pull her white blonde strands out one by one. She was so stupid and shallow, but at least she served her purpose. That purpose was the try and pry Riley away from Will. Also, there was the added bonus of the sex. It's not like he had been a virgin before Annalie, but he wasn't exactly what you'd call a God. Annalie made him a sex tiger. Rawr.

"So like…OMG Ry-yan! Are you even listening to me? I have something very important to say, you know." Yeah right. There was never anything important coming out of her mouth. Although one time she said he'd make an awesome king. That was pretty important. Except he'd, of course, have to marry her. And no amount of power could ever make him want to do that to himself.

"Um, of course I'm listening. Tell me what's up." He made a mental note not to listen. Just block out the noise. That loud and screeching noise emitted from her birdlike mouth. She talked but she just sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown Cartoons. And he kept nodding and nodding, feigning disinterest like a quarterback feigns a pass.

"So will you?" She seemed so excited about what she had just said and he had no idea what it could possibly be.

"What? Oh, yeah, of course I will!" He feigned enthusiasm. He probably just agreed to another night of kinky Swedish sex. Totally alright with him.

"Really?" She squealed, kissing him on the cheek. "We are going to have so much fun in Sweden!"

"Pardon, what? I could've sworn you just said Sweden." By Sweden, did she mean the replica she has as an apartment?

"Yes Sweden! Didn't you hear? You're coming with me next week! Oh Ry-yan, we are going to have so much fun!"

Oh. Fuck.

**A/N: I love this chapter, but what do you think? Reviews please!**


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